Seodaemun Prison History Hall

Seodaemun Prison History Hall preserves and displays the suffering and pain of Koreans during the modern period. Here independence activists and pro-democracy activists were jailed by the Japanese during the Japanese rule of Korea and then later it was taken over by the South Korean Government after the Japanese occupation ended in 1945. The prison opened as Gyrongseong Prison on Oct 21st, 1908 and closed Nov 15th, 1987.

The prison has held many policital prisoners over the years. Most of whom have statues around Seoul now for being patriots and resisting the Japanese Occupation of Korea. Outside the prison in the courtyard you can view the hanging chamber. It was here that many prisoners were executed and their bodies then dumped in a cellar nearby.